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Who is Mohammed al-Bashir, Syria’s new prime minister?
Mohammed al-Bashir, a key official in the administration overseen by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), has been appointed as Syria’s prime minister, according to reports on Monday.
Bashir previously led the Salvation Government, affiliated with HTS, which governed only parts of northwestern Syria and Idlib.
Several reports on Monday indicated that he had met HTS leader Abu Muhammad al-Jolani and Mohammed al-Jalali, who served as prime minister under the now-ousted Bashar al-Assad regime.
Over the past few days, HTS and rebels backed by Turkey – working under the umbrella of the Military Operations Division – made a surprise sweep across Syria to seize the capital Damascus in the early hours of Sunday.
Al-Bashir now faces the challenge of navigating Syria’s transitional phase, addressing both political instability and the reconstruction of war-torn regions formerly under HTS control.
Who is Mohammed al-Bashir?
Al-Bashir is a Syrian engineer and politician who began serving as the fifth prime minister of the self-declared HTS administration, the Syrian Salvation Government, in January.
He was born in Jabal Zawiya region of Idlib in 1986, according to a CV published by the Salvation Government. He holds multiple qualifications spanning engineering, law, and administrative planning.
He earned a degree in electrical and electronic engineering, specialising in communications, from the University of Aleppo in 2007.
In 2010, he completed an advanced English language course administered by the ministry of education.
In 2021, he obtained a degree in Sharia and law with honours from the University of Idlib. That same year, he also received a certificate in administrative planning and a certification in project management from the Syrian International Academy for Training, Languages, and Consulting.
He then worked as an engineer supervising the establishment of a gas plant affiliated with the Syrian Gas Company.
Developments under al-Bashir
In 2021, following the Syrian uprising against Bashar al-Assad, al-Bashir left his job at government institutions, joining “the ranks of the revolutionaries in the military field”, according to his CV.
Between 2022 and 2023, al-Bashir served as the minister of development and humanitarian affairs under his predecessor, Ali Keda.
In January 2024, the Shura Council of the Salvation Government elected him as prime minister. His election platform prioritised e-government and automation of government services.
During his administration, real estate fees were reduced, planning regulations were relaxed, and consultations began for expanding Idlib city’s zoning plan.
In late November, when HTS and other Syrian rebel groups launched their Northwestern Syria offensive, capturing Aleppo, al-Bashir announced in a press conference that the offensive was a response to the Syrian regime’s attacks on civilians, which he said had displaced “tens of thousands” of people.
On 4 December, he travelled to Aleppo to oversee the opening of government offices, commending employees from previous administrations who had returned to their duties.
On Monday, after the fall of the Assad regime, he was tasked with forming a transitional government.